Who should you start and who should you bench on your fantasy football team this week?  Do you have key players out on bye?  If you are a local Ravens or Redskins fan then chances are you do.  No need to worry.  I have your list right here of who to plug in instead.  There are also a nice number of guys on this list under “good” or “decent” starts that are probably available for you to pick up.

Quarterbacks:
Good Starts:
Michael Vick (PHI)- will throw and run a lot in what could be s shootout
Ryan Fitzpatrick (BUF)- should bounce back from bad game in a shootout
Eli Manning (NYG)- been great lately, great matchup, great career #s vs SEA
Drew Brees (NO)- surprisingly doesn’t play great vs CAR…but cmon its Brees
Cam Newton (CAR)- not facing great defense, will throw and run as usual
Philip Rivers (SD)- good matchup, always puts up big yds against DEN
Tom Brady (NE)- don’t care about the matchup or anything else, start him
Aaron Rodgers (GB)- averages 328/2 vs ATL, possible MVP
Matthew Stafford (DET)- 2 guaranteed TD’s to Calvin each week, always good start

Decent Starts:
Curtis Painter (IND)- played decent last week, not the toughest matchup
Donovan McNabb (MIN)- lit ARI up last time but not the same guy
Kevin Kolb (ARI)- he’s been mediocre, another mediocre matchup vs MIN
Ben Roethlisberger (PIT)- banged up, avg 300 yds/gm vs TEN
Andy Dalton (CIN)- not a scary matchup vs JAC, has been decent lately
Matt Schaub (HOU)- #s vs OAK not too good plus no Andre, still a good QB
Josh Freeman (TB)- i could see him having his first multiple TD game this yr
Kyle Orton (DEN)- avg 205/1 vs SD, been playing good
Matt Ryan (ATL)- career #s vs GB not super, he’s been mediocre most of the year
Jay Cutler (CHI)- avg 208/2 vs DET, has been decent minus last week

Bad Starts:
Matt Cassel (KC)- hasn’t been good, terrible #s vs IND, no TD’s vs them
Tarvaris Jackson (SEA)- averages 132 yds/gm vs NYG
Matt Hasselbeck (TEN)- averages 165 yds/gm vs PIT
Blaine Gabbert (JAC)- #s aren’t good enough to start
Jason Campbell (OAK)- unpredictable
Alex Smith (SF)- he’s still Alex Smith
Mark Sanchez (NYJ)- usually plays awful vs NE, and he played awful last week

 

 

Wide Receivers:
Good Starts:
DeSean Jackson (PHI)- only performs with 2+ receptions, game will be high scoring
Jeremy Maclin (PHI)- puts up good yards each week if nothing else
Stevie Johnson (BUF)- high scoring game, gotta roll with him, always produces
Dexter McCluster (KC)- will have to run a little more, plus receptions, decent matchup
Percy Harvin (MIN)- huge #s vs ARI both times he’s faced them plus he’s been running
Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)- averages 118 yd/gm vs MIN
Hakeem Nicks (NYG)- 128/1 vs SEA last time
Sidney Rice (SEA)- has scored in 3 of 4 games vs NYG, team will be down
Antonio Brown (PIT)- nice yds last 3 weeks, should finally score
Steve Smith (CAR)- avg 62 yd/gm vs CAR which isn’t bad, has been amazing
AJ Green (CIN)- has been inconsistent but could torch their bad secondary
Vincent Jackson (SD)- good every week, always start him
Brandon Lloyd (DEN)- scored in both games he’s played vs SD, good every week
Wes Welker (NE)- don’t care about the matchup or anything else, start him
Plaxico Burress (NYJ)- 4 TD in 3 career games vs NE, scored 2/3 weeks he’s played
Greg Jennings (GB)- huge career #s vs ATL, a must start
Jordy Nelson (GB)- 61/1 against ATL last time, and he’s been on fire
Roddy White (ATL)- decent #s vs GB, should show up for prime time
Julio Jones (ATL)- back to back 100+ yd games, roll with him
Calvin Johnson (DET)- he’s still on pace for 32 TD’s, best in the world

Decent Starts:
Jason Avant (PHI)- should get decent yds, overdue for 1st td of season
David Nelson (BUF)- came back down a little last week but still has upside in shootout
Reggie Wayne (IND)- no chemistry with Painter last week, does avg 83 yd/gm vs. KC
Pierre Garcon (IND)- good #s last 2 weeks, good chemistry, KC will look to shut down
Dwayne Bowe (KC)- has contributed the last 2 weeks, has scored vs. IND before
Steve Breaston (KC)- 50+ yds the last 2 weeks, 91 yds vs IND last time
Mario Manningham (NYG)- don’t trust him much since he’s been banged up
Victor Cruz (NYG)- has performed last 2, unsure of his role with Manningham is back
Mike Wallace (PIT)- shut him down both times they’ve played him, hard to bench
Nate Washington (TEN)- gets decent yardage each week
Marques Colston (NO)- only avg 52 yd/gm vs CAR, still banged up a little
Lance Moore (NO)- risky, if he doesn’t score he’s a bad start this week
Robert Meachem (NO)- only avg 31 yd/gm vs NO, but he’s been okay lately
Brandon LaFell (CAR)- decent yardage every week he’s played
Mike Thomas (JAC)- no sure thing with rookie QB
Jacoby Jones (HOU)- 0 yds in last 2 weeks but that will change with no Andre Johnson
Kevin Walter (HOU)- been bad all year but that will change with no Andre Johnson
Michael Crabtree (SF)- getting healthy, not the best matchup though, wait another week
Josh Morgan (SF)- everything about him screams mediocre
Mike Williams (TB)- has been decent, has scored vs SF before
Preston Parker (TB)- role is increasing, gets a good # of receptions
Eric Decker (DEN)- has played well, not a bad option
Deion Branch (NE)- good #s vs NYJ in career, has been absent last few weeks though
Santonio Holmes (NYJ)- bad vs NE, hasn’t been good lately
James Jones (GB)- has been a little better each week, due for TD
Titus Young (DET)- may have surpassed Burleson as #2 WR, decent yds each week
Johnny Knox (CHI)- bad career #s vs DET but he’s been getting yds

Bad Starts:
Steve Smith (PHI)- too many other weapons for him to perform
Austin Collie (IND)- doesn’t get enough receptions from mediocre QB
Michael Jenkins (MIN)- after getting 1 yd last week…no way
Bernard Berrian (MIN)- 20 yds is highest this yr…enough said
Early Doucet (ARI)- risky, don’t like the matchup
Andre Roberts (ARI)- hasn’t performed yet
Mike Williams (SEA)- bad yardage, rarely scoring
Hines Ward (PIT)- old and done, bad #s vs TEN
Emmanuel Sanders (PIT)- not doing enough
Devery Henderson (NO)- disappeared last week, no TD in 10 games vs CAR
Andre Caldwell (CIN)- hasn’t done anything to make me trust him
Jerome Simpson (CIN)- needs to perform before he’s worthy of starting
Darrius Heyward Bey (OAK)- will be held down after big day last week
Jacoby Ford (OAK)- still banged up
Arrelious Benn (TB)- not trustworthy yet
Malcolm Floyd (SD)- avg 35 yd/gm vs DEN
Eddie Royal (DEN)- time to give up on him
Chad Ochocinco (NE)- let him sit until he does something, hopefully 2nd half
Derrick Mason (NYJ)- may not get anything thrown his way
Donald Driver (GB)- shouldn’t be owned anymore
Nate Burleson (DET)- bad career #s vs CHI, bad last 2 weeks
Devin Hester (CHI)- 0 yds last week…..so no
Roy Williams (CHI)- need to see much more first

 

 

Running Backs:
Good Starts:
LeSean McCoy (PHI)- has scored every week, plus high combined yardage
Fred Jackson (BUF)- scores a lot, lots of combined yards
Adrian Peterson (MIN)- averages over 100 combined yds against them, will run all day
Beanie Wells (ARI)- gotta start him after what he did last week, team will run
Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG)- many many combined yds, team will run in 2nd half
Darren Sproles (NO)- performs in some way each week, good combined yds
Jonathan Stewart (CAR)- good #s vs NO, due to score, combined yds, has been good
Maurice Jones Drew (JAC)- team only relies on him, will run a whole lot
Cedric Benson (CIN)- unknown if he will play, if he does it’s a great matchup for him
Arian Foster (HOU)- big career #s vs OAK, will run a lot, another big day coming
Darren McFadden (OAK)- looks great, combined yds is all you need
LaGarrette Blount (TB)- i expect him to stay hot, will run a lot
Ryan Mathews (SD)- been amazing, huge combined yds, 3 TD’s last game vs DEN
Michael Turner (ATL)- good #s vs GB, plus primetime
Jahvid Best (DET)- averages 62 combined yds and a TD each game vs CHI
Matt Forte (CHI)- good #s vs DET and coming off career week

Decent Starts:
Joseph Addai (IND)- hasn’t been getting receptions, old, decent matchup
Brandon Jacobs (NYG)- should get garbage yds in 2nd half
Rashard Mendenhall (PIT)- only avg 37 yd/gm vs TEN, hasn’t played up to potential
Chris Johnson (TEN)- not sure why he’s not performing but this isn’t a good matchup
Pierre Thomas (NO)- may get more carries than normal, put up combined yds last week
DeAngelo Williams (CAR)- too inconsistent to trust, matchup isn’t bad though
Bernard Scott (CIN)- unknown if he will play, good opportunity if he does
Michael Bush (OAK)- he’s been relevant again with combined yds
Frank Gore (SF)- should be up decent combined yds
Mike Tolbert (SD)- good career #s vs. DEN, Mathews is clearly the starter though
Willis McGahee (DEN)- good career #s vs SD, has been playing well, Moreno is a ?
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (NE)- good #s vs NYJ but their backfield is getting tricky
Stevan Ridley (NE)- will soon emerge as the starter, will get plenty of chances
Ryan Grant (GB)- decent matchup but splitting carries with Starks
James Starks (GB)- decent matchup but splitting carries with Grant

Bad Starts:
Ronnie Brown (PHI)- McCoy is too good, doesn’t get opportunities
CJ Spiller (BUF)- not doing enough this season, no value unless Jackson goes down
Delone Carter (IND)- not until Addai goes down…which he will
Thomas Jones (KC)- terrible, worthless starter #s
Marshawn Lynch (SEA)- doesn’t get the chance to run much, tough NYG run defense
Mark Ingram (NO)- too risky, not doing enough
Deji Karim (JAC)- not getting enough carries yet
Ben Tate (HOU)- like any other backup, won’t get enough carries
Kendall Hunter (SF)- needs more carries
Knowshon Moreno (DEN)- do you trust him? i need to see something first
Danny Woodhead (NE)- he’s the forgotten man now that Ridley has arrived
Shonn Greene (NYJ)- avg 38 rushing yds/gm vs NE, has been bad all yr
LaDainian Tomlinson (NYJ)- has been non existent this yr

 

 

Tight Ends:
Good Starts:
Jimmy Graham (NO)- good #s vs CAR, been great this season
Jermaine Gresham (CIN)- has been good lately, good matchup, take a chance on him
Owen Daniels (HOU)- not the best matchup, but he’s been on a role
Rob Gronkowski (NE)- even after being shut down last week I’d still start him
Jermichael Finley (GB)- always a good start
Tony Gonzalez (ATL)- averages 93/1 in career vs GB

Decent Starts:
Brent Celek (PHI)- hasn’t been getting many yards but scored td in only game vs BUF
Scott Chandler (BUF)- risky, if he doesn’t score he’s worthless because of low yards
Dallas Clark (IND)- hasn’t been performing, bad #s vs KC, better than some options
Visanthe Shiancoe (MIN)- relevant last week, good career #s vs ARI
Todd Heap (ARI)- 40+ yds with chance to score TD
Jake Ballard (NYG)- scored last week, playing a weak team
Heath Miller (PIT)- nothing jumps out at me here
Jared Cook (TEN)- big game last week but tough opponent this week
Greg Olsen (CAR)- scored last 2 weeks, 50+ yds guaranteed
Jeremy Shockey (CAR)- decent yds every week
Mercedes Lewis (JAC)- back to being mediocre again
Kevin Boss (OAK)- stepped it up last 2 weeks, good for 40+ yds
Vernon Davis (SF)- bad #s vs TB, has been inconsistent
Kellen Winslow (TB)- #s are nothing special this yr
Dustin Keller (NYJ)- averages 50 yds/gm vs NE, that’s decent
Brandon Pettigrew (DET)- bad #s vs CHI but gets a lot of catches nowadays

Bad Starts:
Leonard Pope (KC)- I’ll be surprised if I ever list him as anything but bad
Zach Miller (SEA)- too risky, not performing
Antonio Gates (SD)- probably won’t play again
Randy McMichael (SD)- terrible backup to Gates
Daniel Fells (DEN)- no thanks
Aaron Hernandez (NE)- out again this week
Kellen Davis (CHI)- who???

 

 

Defenses:
Good Starts:
New York Giants- SEA is bad
Pittsburgh- carries the team, good start vs most teams
Cincinnati- rookie QB, I can see them doing some damage
Tampa Bay- i like them this week vs a bad QB
San Diego- good matchup against mediocre team

Decent Starts:
Philadelphia- points will be scored against them but they always have a chance to score
Indianapolis- anyone vs KC is at least decent
Kansas City- has a chance against inexperienced QB
Minnesota- should be close game, but points will be scored
Arizona- talented defense, McNabb can turn it over
Tennessee- usually forces Roethlisberger turnovers
New Orleans- facing rookie QB could be good
Houston- facing a bad QB
Oakland- defense has looked decent, can get some turnovers
San Francisco- always at least a decent start
New England- tough match against NYJ
New York Jets- tough match against NE
Green Bay- tough match against ATL
Atlanta- tough match against GB
Detroit- Chicago is still a pretty good team and their defense isn’t anything special

Bad Starts:
Buffalo- PHI scores too much and defense isn’t great as is
Seattle- will probably be destroyed by NYG
Carolina- can’t advise anyone vs NO
Jacksonville- I’m not sure they even have a defense
Denver- San Diego is powerful
Chicago- not against Detroit

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